Digital Audio Access Protocol

The Digital Audio Access Protocol (DAAP) is the proprietary protocol introduced by Apple in its iTunes software to share media across a local network.

DAAP addresses the same problems for Apple as the

Digital Living Network Alliance

(DLNA).

Description

The DAAP protocol was originally introduced in iTunes version 4.0.^[1] Initially, Apple did not officially release a protocol description, but it has been reverse-engineered to a sufficient degree that reimplementations of the protocol for non-iTunes platforms have been possible.

A DAAP server is a specialized

subnet. The DAAP service uses TCP port 3689 by default.^[2]

DAAP is one of two media sharing schemes that Apple has currently released. The other, Digital Photo Access Protocol (DPAP), is used by iPhoto for sharing images. They both rely on an underlying protocol, Digital Media Access Protocol (DMAP).

Early versions of iTunes allowed users to connect to shares across the Internet, however, in recent versions only computers on the same subnet can share music (workarounds such as port tunneling are possible). The Register speculates that Apple made this move in response to pressure from the record labels.^[3] More recent versions of iTunes also limit the number of clients to 5 unique IP addresses within a 24-hour period.

DAAP has also been implemented in other non-iTunes media applications such as

Banshee, Amarok, Exaile (with a plugin), Songbird (with a plugin), Rhythmbox, and WiFiTunes

.

DAAP authentication

Beginning with iTunes 4.2, Apple introduced authentication to DAAP sharing, meaning that the only clients that could connect to iTunes servers were other instances of iTunes. This was further modified in iTunes 4.5 to use a custom hashing algorithm, rather than the standard MD5 function used previously. Both authentication methods were successfully reverse engineered within months of release.^[4]

With iTunes 7.0, a new 'Client-DAAP-Validation' header hash is needed when connecting to an iTunes 7.0 server. This does not affect third-party DAAP servers, and all DAAP clients without support for this feature, including iTunes itself before version 7.0, will fail to connect to an iTunes 7.0 server, receiving a '403 Forbidden' HTTP error. The iTunes 7.0 authentication traffic analysis seem to indicate that a certificate exchange is performed to calculate the hash sent in the 'Client-DAAP-Validation' header.

DAAP clients

Name	Platform: Desktop	Platform: Portable	Platform: Devices/Other	Development status
iOS Music app (formerly iPod app)		iOS (by setting: password on Settings, then More>Shared), since iOS 4.3		Native
Amarok	Windows, Mac, Linux			Active
Banshee	Windows, Mac, Linux			Active
Crossfire			Cross-platform Ajax-based Firefly client, with multiple browser support Safari (inc. iOS), Nokia, Opera, IE, Chrome	Active
DAAP Client		Android		Dormant
DAAP Media Player		Android		Active
Diapente		Android		Dormant
FireflyClient			Independent (uses Java)	Dormant
Get it together			Any Java supported platform	Dormant
iTunes	Windows, Mac	iOS	Apple TV	Native
LimeWire	Windows, Mac, Linux			Active
One2OhMyGod			Any Java supported platform	Dormant
Rhythmbox	Linux			Active
Roku Soundbridge and Radio			Roku	Dormant
WiFiTunes		PocketPC		Dormant
Songbird	Windows, Mac, Linux (unsupported)			Dormant, via plugin for 1.8.0
SoundBox	Windows, Mac			Active
Silverplay			Only Silverlight required	Active
Simple DAAP Client		iOS		Dormant
Winamp with ml_daap plugin	Windows			Winamp discontinued on 12/20/2013; ml_daap dormant, depends on Apple Bonjour support for Windows
XBMC	Windows, Mac, Linux	XBMC Live iPad	Apple TV (2nd generation) only, and some others	Active

DAAP servers

Name	Operating system				Development status
Name	Linux	macOS	Microsoft Windows	Other	Development status
iTunes	No	No	Yes	No	Active
Apple Music	No	Yes	No	No	Active
OwnTone	Yes	No	No	FreeBSD	Active
Firefly Media Server (mt-daapd)	Yes	Yes	Yes	FreeBSD	Dormant
Tangerine	Yes	Yes	Yes	FreeBSD	Dormant
spydaap DAAP server (python)	Yes	Yes	Yes	FreeBSD	Dormant
FreeNAS and NAS4Free	No	No	No	FreeBSD	Active
NASLite M2	Yes	No	No	No	Active
OpenMediaVault	Yes	No	No	No	Active
Ampache	Yes	Yes	Yes	FreeBSD	Active
Rhythmbox	Yes	No	No	No	Active
node-daapd	Yes	No	No	No	Dormant
Wild Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Active
canary	Yes	Yes	No	No	Active
dmapd	Yes	No	No	No	Active

Notes and references

^ "Unofficial DAAP protocol documentation" Archived 2012-02-22 at the Wayback Machine by Daniel Garcia, retrieved December 2, 2006
^ "Well Known Port Numbers" by IANA, November 30, 2006, retrieved December 2, 2006
^ "Apple halts iTunes' Internet sharing ability" by Tony Smith, The Register, May 28, 2003, retrieved August 31, 2006
^ "iTunes 4.5 Authentication Cracked". April 29, 2004. Retrieved March 12, 2007.

[dappdoc-1] "Unofficial DAAP protocol documentation" Archived 2012-02-22 at the Wayback Machine by Daniel Garcia, retrieved December 2, 2006

[2] "Well Known Port Numbers" by IANA, November 30, 2006, retrieved December 2, 2006

[3] "Apple halts iTunes' Internet sharing ability" by Tony Smith, The Register, May 28, 2003, retrieved August 31, 2006

[slash_4.5_cracked-4] "iTunes 4.5 Authentication Cracked". April 29, 2004. Retrieved March 12, 2007.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

Models		Classic Photo iPod+HP iPod U2 Mini Shuffle Nano Touch
Accessories	Headphones iPod Hi-Fi Nike+iPod Socks
Software	Comparison of iPod managers iOS Store iPod game iTunes Store version history
Other	Advertising Click wheel Dock connector

Description

DAAP authentication

DAAP clients

DAAP servers

See also

Notes and references